The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-12-29
FAULKNER'S CHRISTMAS LUNCH.
The "Set-Up" of Mr.. Voorhees, Piotege to
His Clerks-An Unfortunate Contretemps.

There appears to have been a scene at the
lunch given by Mr.. Chester r. Faulkner, of this
State to the employees of his division in the Pen
sion Office at Washington at noon on the day be-
fore Christmas. which has not been published.
A gentleman who attended the lunch and who is
a good friend of Mr.. Faulkner related the incl
dent to Journal reporter yesterday. He said:
1T WAS a ridiculous sort of thing, which, al
though it made some of Mr.. Faulkner's friends
blush, created general laughter after the whole
affair explained. Mr.. Faulkner announced
a month before the holidays that he intended to
give his employees a real old-fashioned Jefferso-
MAN spread. and took good deal of interest and
pride in having it made just so. There are about
sixty employees in the old gentleman's division,
and upwards of forty OF them women. Mr.
Faulkner boards right across G street. opposite
and to the north of the Pension Office
and he arranged with his landlady
to make the spread for his friends.
To the lunch Mr.. Faulkner invited not only
the employees in his division, but Commissioner
Black and his wife, First Deputy Commissioner
Mclean, and several of his outside admirers,
and when noon arrived the procession which
formed for the boarding house was quite large.
The boarding house lady is of German extrac-
ton. A great deal OF care was taken to have
the lunch elaborate in its proportions and spread
and served with great precision. Mr.. Faulkner
felt justly proud Of the success he had achieved
from the Pension Office. The procession arrived
at the boarding house some minutes before Mr..
Faulkner. who remained in the Pension building
to escort the Commissioner and Mrs. BLACK.
When the crowd arrided it found that the
boarding house closed up, although it was
known that the spread was made on the inside
and the land1ady and her servants We're there TO
serve il. After some moments of delay one OF
the pension clerks entered the building from the
rear and opened the entrance to the boarding
house. The inflow immense that the
whole building was almost instantly overfown.
Among the female guests was the wife of a late
German Count. She among the first to en-
ter the clearinghouse A number of men and
among them myself, fingered on the sidewalk
outside, for the arrival of the host and General
and Mrs Black. few minutes after the
Countess entered the clearinghouse she came
flying down stairs and ont on the sidewalk, al
most out of breath. In furry of excitement
she exclaimed L have been ordered out or The
housed There was considerable agitation. and
every body inquired for the host As he did not
arrive instantly, Colonel Mclean went to the
Pension Office for him. thinking that something
should be done at once to quiet affairs as the
other women were coming out OF the house ana
coneregating in front.
ut required but few minutes" continued !
the gentlsman, ito empty the boarding house of |
its guests. 1t was funny scene. those people |
crowding around In front OF Mr.. Faulkners
boarding place, and in their agitation making in
quiry about it! One of the women said that the |
boarding house keeper, when about twenty of |
them were in room taking off their wraps, en-,
tered and pointed to Mrs. DeBoutts. exclaimed |
in excited You leave my house
immediately There was GOOD deal OF anxiety |
shown until the arrival of Mr.. Faulkner AS |
soon he understood the condition of affairs |
he entered the house, and quietude was re-
stored; but the countess did not participate IN I
the lunch, which beautiful aud
joyed immensely by all present Mr. Faulkner ]
was good deal embarrassed the scene
which had occurred. and evidently did not en-
joy himself fully he might have; but the
incident was laughed off the best II could be.
There was a good deal of surmise around
the Pension Office for some time. and the affair
was jocularly referred to having basis on
jealousy. the Countess is a prime favorite In
Mr.. Faul kner's division. and s tall, handsome,
and altb ough widow scarcely four and TWEEN
~. It was learned after, however, that the ami
mostly between the two women grew out OF
at fair or entertainment of
some kind hail a few nights before, and
they have been brought together and have
sk aken hands"